Water-heating device.



J. MUGHKA.

WATER HEATING DEVIUE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1910.

Patented Mar. 24, 191% 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO.,WASHINOTON. n. c.

J. MUGHKA.

WATER HEATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1910.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

2 SEBETB-BHEET 2.

.mlllllllll A V 7 W M m a W m 3 2 J m fi COLUMB'IA FLANDCIRAFH CO.,WASHINGTQN. D. Q

J OSEF MUCI-IKA, 0F VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

WATER-HEATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 7, 1910. Serial No. 580,890,

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, Josnr MUoHxA, a citizen of Austria, and resident of Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria, Austria- Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVater-Heating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for heating the water in the suction pipe of a steam pump by admitting the exhaust steam from said pump into said suction pipe.

It has already been proposed to lead the exhaust steam directly into the water to be heated and thus to effect the heating of water by the direct exchange of heat and condensation of the steam. Apparatus of this nature have, however, not been practical, because they all suffer from the disadvantage that, in shutting off the engine or pump sup plying the exhaust steam, in consequence of the condensation of the steam in the pipe, a partial vacuum occurs allowing the water to be drawn back into the engine. In steam pumps the further disadvantage is present that the pumps on being set in action must at irst be allowed to act with a free exhaust and the exhaust pipe can only be closed and the exhaust steam allowed to flow into the suction pipe of the pump, when the pump has drawn in so much water that the suction pipe is filled.

The present invention has for its object to supply the exhaust steam immediately the engine is set in operation and to connect the exhaust steam pipe separated from the water chamber (suction pipe) without loss of exhaust steam automatically with the suction pipe already filled with water. The object is obtained by this that the water space is separated from the exhaust pipe by a loaded movable valve which is positively opened by exhaust steam only when the latter reaches a predetermined pressure whereupon the exhaust steam may flow into the water to be heated.

The apparatus is particularly applicable for the direct heating of water in tanks, and in conjunction with steam pumps, the exhaust steam from the pump being led directly into the suction pipe already filled with water. By this arrangement the steam pump no longer acts as a condenser but as a steam engine with an increased back pressure which is utilized to open automatically the valve between the exhaust pipe and the suction pipe of the pump and thus effect the connection between these two parts,

For obtaining a very good function of the apparatus it is important to remove the air from the collecting chamber, the exhaust pipe, etc. This is effected by the operating steam on commencing to flow into the apparatus forcing out the air collected in all the spaces in front of the nozzle through a by-pass provided in a movable part of the apparatus and leaving the by-pass or air outlet passage open until these spaces are completely filled with steam. In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 shows one form of construction of the apparatus in section. Fig. 2 shows the apparatus connected to a pump and Fig. 3 the arrangement thereof in a tank, the contents of which are to be heated. Fig. t is a section view of a second form of construction of the apparatus; Figs. 5 and 6 show a detail of the apparatus in two different positions of its function.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 consists of a casing having four branch pipes 1, 2, 3 and 4 and having a valve continuously loaded, (as for example by a spring 9) arranged therein. This valve 6 is arranged between the two branch pipes 1 and 3, of which the former (1) is connected with the water suction pipe and the latter with the exhaust pipe (3). The base of the pump forms a large steam collector 21 (Fig. 2) which is utilized as a pressure equalizer in order to eliminate the exhaust pressure, and also to collect the exhaust steam until it has attained the predetermined pressure necessary for opening the loaded valve (6). This chamber 21 may also be utilized for the introduction of draining and oil separating devices. The movable loaded valve (6) closes a nozzle shaped body (5) which is introduced between the exhaust pipe (3) and the suction pipe (1) and points in the direction of the suction pipe (2). The object of this nozzle arrangement will be hereinafter explained. The valve (6) is connected by a stem (7) with a piston (8) adapted to cover the port (10) of the fourth branch 4 leading into the atmosphere. The piston (8) is adjustably secured on the stem (7 by means of a screw thread. The loading spring (9) of the valve, the pressure of which spring can be regulated from the exterior by an adjusting periodical fluctuations of the Patented Mar. 24:, 1914.

ably formed as a disk screw (11), is mounted in a chamber (10) which can be connected by means of a cock 12 with the atmosphere; the amount of opening of this cock (12) determines the velocity with which the return of the valve (6) is effected by the steam. The stem (7) passes through a guide sleeve (18) preferand which is interposed between the exhaust chamber and the chamber containing the piston (8), and has holes (14:) in the disk, through which the exhaust steam from the branch (8) comes into contact with the piston (8) and acts thereon.

The operation of the apparatus in conjunction with a steam pump as shown in Fig. 2 is as follows: The pump is started and the exhaust steam therefrom flows into the collector (21), and is here collected until it attains a pressure exceeding that of the spring or weight (9) holding the valve (6) on its seat. As the exhaust steam, which fills the chamber in front of the valve, now exerts a pressure on the piston (8) the same is moved back against the action of its spring (9), and opens the valve connected therewith. The exhaust steam which has been subjected to separation from oil in the chamber 21 flows freely into the suction pipe (1), which in the meanwhile, with water by the operation of the pump, mixes with the water drawn in and is condensed therein, and its heat imparted to the water which is forced in a correspondingly heated condition through the suction pipe (2). If, as shown, the seat of the valve is formed as a nozzle (5), by means of the exhaust steam flowing there through an injector-like action is set up 111 the suction pipe which aids the suction effect of the pump considerably; in addition, the energy of flow of the steam passing from the nozzle (5) aids the suction effect of the pump. It is clear that an increase in the operation of the pump causes an increase in the pressure of the exhaust steam, which causes an increased pressure on the piston (8) resulting in an increased opening of the valve. In consequence also, the exhaust steam may flow in greater quantity into the suction pipe and the increased amount of water drawn in receives a correspondingly greater supply of steam and heat. Should the pressure of the exhaust steam in front of the valve exceed a predetermined amount, which, for example, would happen if the steam for some reason were not condensed in the suction pipe, a greater movement of the piston would take place so that this would uncover the port 10 of the exhaust branch (4) and the steam would be allowed to pass into the atmosphere. By raising or lowering the piston (8) on the screw threaded portion of the stem in conjunction with the spring com- I pressing device (11), the pressure can be adjusted exactly to that at which the uncovering of the exhaust port should take place.

When the pump is stopped, the pressure, in the exhaust pipe and in the chamber 21 will drop gradually, but the spring (9) will expand and move the piston in the opposite direction and thus bring the valve on to its seat so that on a partial vacuum being formed in consequence of the condensation of the steam in the exhaust pipe, water cannot again flow back from the exhaust pipe into the engine. The apparatus is made fairly insensible to fluctuations in pressure by the introduction of the chamber (21). The object of the cock 12 is to form beneath the piston 8 a regulatable air cushion. The exhaust opening of the cock 12 is very small and, therefore, if the piston 8 is displaced by the steam pressure, this will only be effected at a speed which corresponds to the rate at which the air is able to pass out through the cock 12 and this will be greater the wider the cock 12 is opened. The air cushion assists the action of the spring 9 has been filled as it also causes the steam to collect until a predetermined pressure is obtained and only opens the valve member after the suction pipe of the pump has been filled with water.

The main advantages of the apparatus are as follows: The suction chamber or water space and the exhaust chamber can only be brought into communication with each other by a predetermined steam pressure acting on the valve separating them. In consequence the exhaust steam can only flow into the water when it has attained the said predetermined pressure. The apparatus maintains the back pressure causing the flow of the exhaust steam into the water constant Within certain limits, and also regulates the quantity of steam supplied in proportion to the quantity of Water drawn in.

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of the apparatus for heating water within or outside of a tank. In this arrangement the suction pipe (1) is directly connected with the tank from which the water flows into the chamber behind the valve according to the law of communicating vessels. As soon as the exhaust steam has attained the predetermined pressure it flows into the pipe 1), and partly on account of its energy of flow, and partly on account of the nozzle arrangement (5), (when such is provided), promotes the circulation. It is thus immaterial whether the heated water is fed to a position for use or by the aid of the nozzle action is returned into the tank. The piston (8) may be replaced by a loaded membrane.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4: to 6 the apparatus consists of a nozzle casing with a water suction branch pipe 1, sucl tion pipe 2, steam inlet branch 3 and outlet branch 4. Between the two branches 1 and 3 is inserted the nozzle 5 with the valve member 6, the stem 7 of which carries the piston 8 controlled by the loading spring 9, the tension of which can be regulated by the adjusting screw 11. The stem 7 has an axial orifice 15 which leads into the steam inlet chamber of the apparatus through transverse orifices 16 lying just above the collar of the guide sleeve 13, said sleeve being provided with holes l t for the steam. When steam is allowed to enter the apparatus it first fills the collecting chamber 21 (Fig. 2) and all the branches and displaces the air in these spaces, which air escapes through the transverse orifices 16 and the axial passage 15 in the stem 7 into the space beneath the piston 8 (Fig. 5) and around the latter through the outlet branch l; when all the spaces provided in the apparatus and in the inlet chamber are filled with steam nd this steam begins to collect under pressure, the piston 8 is driven back whereby the transverse passages 16 enter the collar bearing of the guide sleeve 13 (Fig. 6) and thereby prevent the escape of steam. As will be evident, the passages 16 and 15 are made verv small in order not to disturb the action or the steam.

fhat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing having a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber for exhaust steam, another port adapted to communicate with a water supply, and still another port being in com munication with the atmosphere, of a spring-pressed valve interposed between the first two mentioned ports and normally closing the communication between them, and a piston connected with said valve and movable therewith within the casing and arranged to control the before-mentioned port leading to the atmosphere, said piston being adapted to be actuated by the incoming exhaust steam.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing having a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber for exhaust steam, another port adapted to communicate with a water supply, and still another port being in com munication with the atmosphere, of a spring-pressed valve interposed between the first two mentioned ports and normally closing the communication between them, a piston connected with the valve and movable therewith within the casing and arranged to control the before-mentioned port leading to the atmosphere, said piston being adapted to be actuated by the incoming exhaust steam, the said casing also having a valved port communicating with the atmosphere.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing having a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber for exhaust steam, another port adapted to communicate with a water sup ply, and still another port being in communication with the atmosphere, of a spring-pressed valve interposed between the first two mentioned ports and normally closing the communication between them, and a piston connected with and adjustable relatively to said valve and movable therewith within the casing and arranged to control the before-mentioned port leading to the atmosphere, said piston being adapted to be actuated by the incoming exhaust steam.

1. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a casing having a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber for exhaust steam, another port adapted to communicate with a water supply, and still another port being in communication with the atmosphere, of a spring-pressed valve interposed between the first two mentioned ports and normally clos ing the communication between them, a threaded stem on the valve, and a piston adjustable on the said threaded stem and arranged to control the before-mentioned port leading to the atmosphere, and being adapted to be actuated by the incoming exhaust steam.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing having a plurality of ports, one of which is adapted to communicate with a collecting chamber for exhaust steam, another port adapted to communicate with a water supply, and still another port being in communication with the atmosphere, of a spring-pressed valve interposed between the first two mentioned ports and normally closing the communication between them, a piston connected with said valve and movable therewith within the casing and arranged to control the before-mentioned port leading to the atmosphere, said piston being adapted to be actuated by the incoming exhaust steam, and regulatable air cushioning means for the piston arranged below the latter.

Signed at Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria, Austrial lungary.

lVILI-IELM BERGER, AUGUST Foeonn.

Gopies or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

